The Emmy nominations are set to be announced tomorrow, and all eyes in coffee shops and traffic-thirsty blogs will be on the fate of Girls. Let's predict what other shows were widely regarded as good this past year!
Best Comedy
- 30 Rock
- The Big Bang Theory
- Curb Your Enthusiasm
- Louie
- New Girl
- Modern Family
Sorry, guys: Girls skews a little young for this crowd. All of the shows on this list are essentially perma-nominees at this point, but for Louie, which is so well-regarded among the establishment that its nomination seems likely, and New Girl, which is youngish but is sort-of, kind-of an actual hit on broadcast TV (unlike possible nominees like Parks and Recreation).
Best Drama
- Breaking Bad
- Downton Abbey
- Game of Thrones
- The Good Wife
- Homeland
- Mad Men
The Good Wife sneaks in just so broadcast TV is represented somehow; the rest are the five TV shows (yes, Downton is a series now, not a miniseries) that combined critical acclaim with your co-workers asking if you were caught up yet. (Poor, not-quite-loved Boardwalk Empire.)
Best Actress, Comedy
- Laura Dern, Enlightened
- Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
- Lena Dunham, Girls
- Tina Fey, 30 Rock
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
- Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation
Best Actor, Comedy
- Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
- Louis C.K., Louie
- Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
- Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
- Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory
- Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Now that perpetual bridesmaid Steve Carell is no longer on TV, there's a spot open, and perhaps it'll go to the guy who helped keep Two and a Half Men on the air, if in attenuated form. Mr. Cryer's already won an Emmy as a supporting actor, anyhow.
Best Actress, Drama
- Claire Danes, Homeland
- Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
- Elizabeth McGovern, Downton Abbey
- Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
- Jessica Paré, Mad Men
Lots of turnover in this category! But presumably Ms. Hargitay will remain, constant, impassive, immovable.
Best Actor, Drama
- Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
- Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
- Kelsey Grammer, Boss
- Hugh Laurie, House
- Damian Lewis, Homeland
- Jon Hamm, Mad Men
With the exception of Hugh Laurie (whose show just ended), this is a party of all the ill-behaved men of cable TV.
